Oh My Nerves -- I Can't Believe I Did "It" Again!

Do you ever feel like you just cannot get “it” right no matter how hard you try?

There are times when I wake up in the morning with such confidence and such great expectations that I am going to do the right thing today – the “thing” that is going to be the most pleasing to my Lord. Then, something happens during the time I get out of bed! Sometimes, even before I have had my first cup of coffee, I do it again!

What is wrong with me? Absolutely nothing, however at times I do find that I’m a slave to sin. I just need to refocus on the things of God and not man! We all know the struggle of staying disciplined, trying to do the right things and avoid all the things that we know we should avoid.

Have you ever seen the bumper sticker “Don’t follow me, I’m lost?” Sometimes I feel that way when I perceive that others are watching me, trying to catch me in my words or actions. I slip so easily and I know I can disappoint. Perhaps I should use these times of “slip ups” as a testimony to just where Jesus has brought me; to the place He is taking me in order to fulfill His purpose for my life. Fortunately, I am not lost in the eternal sense for I know that my Savior forgives me over and over again. I pray that my life’s reflection will shine as polished mirror, but when the tarnishes do appear the world will look to Jesus and not me.

I take comfort in the words of the apostle Paul, found in Romans 7:15-16, where Paul tells us “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate (don’t want to do) I do.” Paul was a man who was blessed to have a vision from Jesus Christ Himself and yet he faltered with the same problems. How much more then would I encounter the same issues? Verse 21 says, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” Then verse 25 tells us to give “thanks to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Jesus reminds us that He will rescue us, instruct us, comfort us and walk through the storms with us. He will never leave or forsake us. He understands our temptations, for He was tempted. He understands our suffering, for He too suffered.

God does not promise us that we won’t have storms in life, that we won’t make mistakes, and that we won’t have heartaches. He does promise that He will never leave or forsake us and that He will be with us always. Hebrews 13:5-6 reminds us that He will never leave us nor forsake us and that we have nothing to fear from any one because Christ is with us!

Remember the story of the disciples on the boat when a great storm came up and they were so afraid? Jesus was in that boat with them and the storm still came anyway. The disciples called out to Jesus and He was able to calm the storm. If we didn’t have the storms in life, or if we never made mistakes we would never appreciate just what we have in the Lord. He is always there to pick us up and set us back on the right path – no matter how many times we get it wrong, or how many times we do “it” again!

Let’s praise the Lord God today for His continued mercies and His everlasting grace!